Obituary Gladys Uppenkamp Dandona
Anchor Point summer resident Gladys Uppenkamp Dandona, 79, died June 27 in Goleta, Calif. Funeral services were held July 1 at Welch-Ryce-Haider Goleta Chapel and she was interred in Goleta Cemetery. Mrs. Dandona was born Sept. 17, 1922 in Los Angeles to Rudie Uppenkamp and Edna Jenne Uppenkamp. She graduated from Poly High School in Riverside, Calif. in 1940 and attended the University of California Berkeley and Oakland School of Nursing. She received her R.N. degree form Weber State College, Ogden, Utah in 1961.

In 1942 she married Joseph A. Dandona Sr. She traveled widely with her husband and family, living in Berkeley, New London, Conn., Manila and Clark Air Force Base, Philippines, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and Elemendorf Air Force Base, Anchorage, settling in Goleta. Since 1987 she and her husband have spent summers in Anchor Point.

Mrs. Dandona worked at Providence Hospital, Anchorage from 1961-65, and the Santa Barbara, Calif. County Hospital 1966-84 as operating room supervisor. She was active in community affairs and volunteer activities, including found and board member of the Isla Vista Youth Projects, University Methodist Church, secretary of the Retired Officers Club, secretary-treasurer of the Daughters of the Nile, docent at Stow House and the Pratt Museum (where she helped install the botanical garden), member of the University of Alaska Scholarship Foundation and of the Alaska Prospector Club.

Her family said, "Gladys will be greatly missed by those who knew her for her kindness, generosity, courage, love of nature, and joyful and adventurous spirit. She was a lifelong hiker, learned, swimmer, reader, volunteer and friend to anyone in need."

Mrs. Dandona was preceded in death by her son James Dandona, who died in 1976.

She is survived by her husband, Joseph Dandona Sr.; her children and their spouses, Joseph Dandona Jr., Jean Dandona, John and Debbie Dandona and Joy and Bill Lowry; grandchildren Sarah Morales, Lily Dandona, Paget, Westley and Jillian Araluce; and Amber and Davis Lowry; and her sister and best friend, Jenne Smith.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Isla Vista Children's Center/Youth Projects, 892 Camino del Sur, Isla Vista, Calif. 93177, or the charity of choice.